Arkansas Blog

The Tuesday line is open

* HEALTH CARE REFORM: Insurance Commissioner Jay Bradfordbravely tried again today to persuade the unpersuadable that the state should apply for federal money to set up and run health care exchanges contemplated by federal law. You had to wonder why. Republicans are against broadening health care for Americans, no matter how it is structured. Some chicken-hearted Democrats don't want to get into it either. It was a day's worth of the usual suspects throwing the same old talking points back and forth. Bradford is right, of course. Better for Arkansas to run its own program when the time comes, but Republicans still hope a right-wing Supreme Court will legislate an end to health care reform from the bench. Tiresome stuff.

* MARCO DARRO: Lt. Gov. Mark Darr is going to China on an economic development mission. Pizza diplomacy? This is a National Lieutenant Governors Association junket. Psst. Somebody give him a Senate rulebook to study on the long flight over. But maybe you better not tell him China is spending huge sums to provide its people with universal health care. He might try to sue them over such an outrage.

* SCRATCH JOHN THURSTON: He's not endorsing Rick Perry, despite some contrary representations. Who's John Thurston? State land commissioner.